UCAC education union has warmly welcomed today’s opposition day debate on public sector pensions.
Commenting on the debate, which has been secured by Plaid Cymru and the SNP, Elaine Edwards, UCAC’s General Secretary said “We are glad that Westminster is at last debating this issue that affects the lives of millions of people across the UK. We believe that pushing for so many and such radical changes all at the same time – without even providing evidence that such change is necessary for the sustainability of the scheme – is totally unreasonable.”
“The fact is that the proposed increase in contributions will not be used to provide security in old age or secure the financial sustainability of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. It’s immoral to raise money for deficit reduction in the guise of pension reform.”
“We are seriously concerned that increasing contributions at the time of a pay freeze will increase the likelihood of opt-outs. This will undoubtedly undermine the future viability of the pension scheme.”
“Neither do we accept that increasing the Normal Pension Age in line with the State Pension Age is the most appropriate way of responding to challenge of increased longevity. Forcing teachers and lecturers to work until they are 68 will undermine opportunities for newly qualified staff to begin their careers and will block career progression. It will lead to increased levels of illness, stress and low morale as those who’ve given a lifetime’s service to education find that the demands of the post become increasingly difficult to fulfil.”
“The TPS was reformed in 2007. Any claims that public sector workers or their unions are unwilling to move with the times are completely unfounded.”
